In the expanding field of plastic surgery there is an increasing need and demand for proper fitting, light weight, postoperative pressure garments or bandages that are comfortable, and yet provide an even distribution of compression for optimal stoppage of bleeding (i.e. hemostasis).
While the prior art teaches a variety of head appliances, these devices generally fail to meet present day plastic surgery needs for a variety of reasons, including, they are uncomfortable to wear, they are heavy devices, they do not reliably stay in place and thus tend to form wrinkles, creases and the like, and they provide for an uneven distribution of pressure to the underlying head area, and thus do not function well for optimum hemostasis.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,225 discloses a heavy, multi layer facial contouring mask that includes a chin portion and bands that encircle the top of the head and the neck, but leaves the ear area uncovered and does not provide the required tension in the back of the head and ear area. U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,054 is similar in that it discloses a head bandage, suggested for use after surgery, having means for holding or attaching hot or cold packs, having a chin portion and a neck portion, and having an opening in the ear area.
Various prior art beauty aids provide coverage of the head, including the ear area, but these devices are of no use as a post surgery bandage. Exemplary is U.S. Pat. No. 1,963,2237 which describes a facial beauty mask of two-ply net material that covers the chin and the top of the head, and has an opening therein to leave free the central part of the face between the eye brows and the lower lip. Two ribbons are tied together behind the neck. Two other ribbons pass through an opening in the mask, and are then tied together in an area generally behind the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,862,588 describes a facial mask that includes an internal chin strap. Straps connected to the chin strap encircle the top of the head, while straps connected to the facial portion of the mask encircle the neck and the back of the head. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,023,358, 1,584,012, 1,668,794, 1,678,970, 1,693,452, 1,783,080, and 2,556,793 are generally similar in that they do not leave the facial portion of the device open.
The prior art provides facial mask devices that do include an open facial area. However, these devices do not provide the critical evenly distributed pressures that are required of a bandage for use after facelift or rhytidectomy surgery. U.S. Pat. Nos. 862,794, 1,872,642, 1,996,705, 2,044,521 and 2,556,793 are examples.
Yet other prior art devices provide primarily only chin support, and are totally unsatisfactory for use after facelift surgery. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,674,541, 2,273,964, 2,711,730, 3,572,329, 3,759,256, 4,658,811 and 4,694,823 are examples.
Thus, there remains a need for a proper fitting, light weight, adjustable, postoperative pressure bandage that is easy to apply, comfortable to wear, provides coverage for the critical head areas including the ear, the side of the jaw and under the chin, and provides an even distribution of compression for optimal stoppage of bleeding.